Track and groove internal combustion engine



p 9- E. c. KOEHLER 2,173,303

TRACK AND GROOVE INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 18,. 1938 INVENTQR Edward 6. K 0 6/? Z er ATTORNEY.

P 1939. E. c. KOEHLER I 2,173,303

TRACK AND GROOVE INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed Feb. 18, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. E an a/"a 671K005 Zer' \l BY MW ATTORNEY.

Patented Sept. 19, 1939 PATENT OFFICE TRACK AND GROOVE INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Edward C. Koehler, Coronado, Calif.

Application February 18, 1938, Serial No. 191,220

6 Claims.

My invention relates to an internal combustion engine in which the connection between the pistons and fly-wheel utilize a track and groove in the fly-wheel and the objects of my invention are:

First, to provide an internal combustion engine of this class in which the engine cylinders may be all connected in one piece thus providing an extremely rigid connection between the various explosion cylinder units;

Second, to provide an engine of this class in which the pistons are operatively connected with the fly-wheels by shafts only;

Third, to provide an engine of this class with a pair of fly-wheels directly connected with the pistons by means of shafts, and track and grooves in the fly-wheels to provide a strong and compact internal combustion engine structure which may be used either for extremely high compression of the Diesel type or lower compression of' the spark plug ignition type;

Fourth, to provide an engine of this class in which a pair of pistons operate in unison thus increasing the efficiency of the engine;

Fifth, to provide an engine of this class in a which all of the working parts are enclosed in an oil retaining casing;

Sixth, to provide an engine of this class in which all of the working parts are operated in ball or roller bearings; and

Seventh, to provide an engine of this class which is very simple and economical of construction, highly efiicient in its action, and which will not readily deteriorate or get out of order.

With these and other objects in view as will appear hereinafter, my invention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination, and arrangement of parts and portions as will be hereinafter described in detail and particularly set forth in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the characters of reference thereon which form a part of this application in which:

Figure 1 is a top or plan view of my engine section to facilitate the illustration and showing the pistons positioned at the outer ends of their strokes; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view showing certain portions broken away and in the parts in elevation to facilitate the illustration.

Similar characters of reference refer to similar parts and portions throughout the several views of the drawings:

The cylinder I, main shaft 2, fly-wheels 3 and 4, casing members 5, 6, and l, pistons 8, crosshead pins 9, and ball bearings III, II, and I2 constitute the principal parts and portions of my engine.

It will be here noted that applicants engine as disclosed is shown with two operating cylinder ends in opposed relation only. However, it is obvious that any number of pairs of cylinders may be connected so that each pair operates in unison. It will be noted that applicants structure is designed for use for ignition by compression similar to the Diesel type of engine or with spark plug. Therefore, no means for ignition or timing is shown, as it is obvious that various timing mechanism may be connected with the drive shaft of the engine and various ignition means may be used as desired.

The cylinder I is a main cylinder which eX- tends through and is preferably integral from end to end as shown to provide rigid connection of the operating cylinder ends in their relation to each other. The ends la and lb of the cylinder I in which the pistons 8 are reciprocally mounted are provided with cooling fins in the conventional manner. However, it is obvious that these cylinder ends Ia and lbmay be cooled by water as well as air cooled in conventional manner if desired. This cylinder I is provided centrally with enlarged bores Ic on opposite sides in which are mounted ball bearings It and in said ball bearings is mounted the main shaft 2, thus providing revoluble support for the shaft 2- relatively to the engine cylinder I at its central portion. The shaft 2 extends outwardly from the engine cylinder I some distance and is provided with splines 2aoutwardly of the bearings I-ll for securing the fly-wheels 3 and 4 to said shaft 2'. These fly-wheels 3 and 4 are provided with central recessesfiwin one side adapted to receive the extended ends of cylindrical members Ic as shown best in Fig. 1 of the drawings, and these fiy-wheels 3 and 4 are secured in position on the splines by means of nuts 3b and 412 shown best in Fig. 1 of the drawings. These fly-wheels 3 and 4 are each provided with grooves 30 on. their inner surfaces which are irregular, double, oval shaped grooves for forming track and groove inthe fly-wheel for engagement of ball bearings II mounted on the extended ends of III cross-head pins 9. These cross-head pins 9 are mounted on the inwardly extending ends of the pistons 8 and extend in opposite directions so that there is a ball bearing II on each opposite end of each of the cross-head pins 9 and each piston is provided with one of these cross-head pins 9 so that with the reciprocation of the pistons 8, the ball bearings II are shifted in the grooves 30 in the fly-wheels 3 and 4 and revolving said fly-wheels by engagement with the walls of the grooves. The engine cylinder I is provided on opposite sides outwardly from the cy,

lindrical portion Id with elongated slots Ie onopposite sides of the cylinder shown particularly in Fig. 2 of the drawings and in theseslots Ie are mounted the ball bearings I2 on opposite sides of the engine cylinder. These ball bearings I2 are mounted on the cross-head pins 9 intermediate the ball bearings II and the pistons 8., The ball bearings II and I2 are spaced by means of washers 9a, thus the fly wheels 3 and 4 are revoluble between these washers 9a and the nuts 3b and 4b and are revolved by the cross-head pins 9 through the ball bearings II. It will be here noted that the engine cylinder I is extended outwardly at If on opposite sides to provide greater width for the ball bearings I2 in their reciprocation in the slots Ie. It will also be noted that the pistons extend past the crosshead pin 9 and that the cross-head pin 9 is journalled in the inner ends of the piston, thus providing a substantial simple relation between the pistons and the fly-wheel grooves.

' The working parts of the engine including the central portion of the engine cylinder I are enclosed in an oil retaining casing consisting of casing members 5, 6, and l. The casing member 5 encloses the fly-wheel 3 on the outer side and extends inwardly and is provided with semi-circular members 5a which are secured one-half way around the engine cylinder I at I9 and the member 6 is provided with similar members 6a. These members 5 and 5a aresecured together, thus enclosing the fly-wheels 3 and 4 and the central portion of thecylinder and shaft. The

casings 5 and 6 are provided with central openings 5b and 61) through which the extendedends of the shaft 2 extend, and this opening around the shaft is shielded from oil leakage by oil shields 5c and 60 which tend to throw any splashed oil outwardly againstthe inner side of the casing 6 with the revolution of the shaft 2.

In order to enclose the fly-wheels 3 and 4 on their inner sides at the top and bottom there are provided four casing members I which extend from the upper side of the cylinder I inwardly of the fly-wheels 3 and 4 and extend outwardly and are secured to flanges 5d on the upper and lower sides of the casing members 5 and 6 by means of flanges Ia, and these members I are secured at their inner sides to flanges Ih Fig. 5 on the upper and lower sides of the engine cylinder I at the extended portions I 1, thus providing a casing for enclosing the fly-wheels and working parts of the engine at the central portion.

The operation of my engine is as follows: The pistons 8 reciprocate in the ends Ia and lb of the engine cylinder I in unison by explosions in the conventional manner in the ends of these cylinders which cause the cross-head pins 9 to move causing the bearings II to move in the grooves 30 and the fiy-wheels' 3 and 4., The'en gagement of the bearings I I with the walls of the groove cause the revolution of the fly-wheels car-. rying with it the shaft 2 which is the power driven shaft of the engine. The inner ends of the pistons 8 and the cross-head pin 9 are guided in their relation with the cylinder by means of the ball bearings I2 in the slots Ie in the side walls of the cylinder.-

Though I have shown and described a particular construction, combination and arrangement of parts and portions, I do not wish to be limited to this particular construction, combination and arrangement, but desire to include in the scope of my invention the construction, combination, and arrangement substantially as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an internal combustion engine, a main one piece cylinder provided at its outer ends with integral working cylinders, pistons reciprocally mounted therein, a main shaft positioned centrally in said cylinder, a pair of fly-wheels on opposite sides of said main cylinder secured on said shaft provided with a single endless cam groove in the inner side walls, cross-head pins secured in the rim in the outer ends of said pistons extending in opposite directions and extending into said grooves, said main cylinder provided with guide slots in its opposite sides in which the ends of said piston shafts extend for guiding the same, and ball bearings interposed between said main shaft and said engine cylinder.

2. In an internal combustion engine, a main one piece cylinder provided at its outer ends with integral working cylinders, pistons reciprocally mounted therein, a main shaft positioned centrally in said cylinder, a pair of fly-Wheels on opposite sides of said main cylinder secured on said shaft provided with a single endless cam groove in the inner side walls, cross-head pins secured in the rim in the outer ends of said pistons extending in opposite directions and extending into said grooves, said main cylinder provided with guide slots in its opposite sides in which the ends of said piston shafts extent for guiding the same, ball bearings interposed between said main shaft and said engine cylinder, and an oil retaining casing enclosing said flywheels and the central portion of the engine cylinder.

3. Inan internal combustion engine, an engine cylinder provided with integral operating cylinder portions at its extremities, pistons reciprocally mounted therein, said engine cylinder provided with guide slots on opposite sides inwardly of said pistons and extending outwardly past the inner ends of said pistons when the pistons are at the end of their inward stroke, cross-head pins revolubly mounted in the rim of said pistons at their innerends and extending in opposite direction into said guide slots, a main shaft positioned centrally in said engine cylinder and revoluble therein, fly-wheels positioned on said shaft at opposite sides of said cylinders adjacent said slots, each fly-wheel provided with irregularly shaped grooves on their inner surfaces into which the extended ends of said cross-head pins extend, ball bearings on the extended ends of said cross-head pins in engagement with the walls of the grooves in said fly-wheels, and other ball hearings on said cross-head pins inwardly of said first mentioned ball bearings positioned in the slots in said cylinder.

fi In an internal combustion engine, an engine cylinder provided with integral operating cylinder portions at its extremities, pistons reciprocally mounted therein, said engine cylinder provided with guide slots on opposite sides inwardly of said pistons and extending outwardly past the inner ends of said pistons when the pistons are at the end of their inward stroke, cross-head pins revolubly mounted in the rim of said pistons at their inner ends and extending in opposite direction into said guide slots, a main shaft positioned centrally in said engine cylinder and revoluble therein, fiy-wheels positioned on said shaft at opposite sides of said cylinders adjacent said slots, each fly-wheel provided with irregularly shaped grooves on their inner surfaces into which the extended ends of said cross-head pins extend, ball bearings on the extended ends of said crosshead pins in engagement with the walls of the grooves in said fly-wheels, other ball bearings on said cross-head pins inwardly of said first mentioned ball bearings positioned in the slots in said cylinder, means for spacing said fly-wheel from said engine cylinders.

5. In an internal combustion engine, an engine cylinder provided with integral operating cylinder portions at its extremities, pistons reciprocally mounted therein, said engine cylinder provided with guide slots on opposite sides inwardly of said pistons and extending outwardly past the inner ends of said pistons when the pistons are at the end of their inward stroke, cross-head pins revolubly mounted in the rim of said pistons at their inner ends and extending in opposite direction into said guide slots, a main shaft positioned centrally in said engine cylinder and revoluble therein, fly-wheels positioned on said shaft at opposite sides of said cylinders adjacent saidslots, each fiy-wheel provided with irregularly shaped grooves on their inner surfaces into which the extended ends of said cross-head pins extend, ball hearings on the extended ends of said crosshead pins in engagement with the walls of the grooves in said fly-wheels, other ball bearings on said cross-head pins inwardly of said first mentioned ball bearings positioned in the slots in said cylinder, means for spacing said fly-wheel from said engine cylinders, and means for supporting said fly-wheels inwardly on said shaft.

6. In an internal combustion engine, an engine cylinder provided with integral operating cylinder portions at its extremities, pistons reciprocally mounted therein, said engine cylinder provided with guide slots on opposite sides inwardly of said pistons and extending outwardly past the inner ends of said pistons when the pistons are at the end of their inward stroke, cross-head pins revolubly mounted in the rim of said pistons at their inner ends and extending in opposite direction into said guide slots, a main shaft positioned centrally in said engine cylinder and revolubly therein, fly-wheels positioned on said shaft at opposite sides of said cylinders adjacent said slots, each fly-wheel provided with irregularly shaped grooves on their inner surfaces into which the extended ends of said cross-head pins extend, ball bearings on the extended ends of said crosshead pins in engagement with the walls of the grooves in said fly-wheels, other ball bearings on said cross-head pins inwardly of said first mentioned ball bearings positioned in the slots in said engine cylinders, means for supporting said fly-wheels inwardly on said shaft, and oil retaining casing means enclosing said fly-wheels and the working parts of said engine at its central portion.

EDWARD C. KOEHLER. 

